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719 Fleet Safety Management
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Importance of a Fleet Safety Program

Motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death and serious injury across all age groups in the United States. Every year, thousands of workers are injured or killed in motor vehicle crashes while on the job.

Six Essential Elements

These incidents affect not only individuals but entire organizations. Whether employees drive a vehicle full-time or only occasionally for work, employers are responsible for their safety while driving on company business. A well-designed Fleet Safety Program helps reduce the risks associated with work-related driving.

Why You Need a Fleet Safety Program

  • To Save Lives and Reduce Life-Altering Injuries
    • A Fleet Safety Program helps protect employees from serious injuries and fatalities while driving on the job.
    • Many work-related vehicle crashes are preventable with proper training, safe driving practices, and clear policies.
    • Encouraging safe driving habits at work can also benefit employees in their personal lives.
  • To Protect Your Organization’s Human and Financial Resources
    • Employees are valuable. Crashes can lead to lost productivity, expensive workers’ compensation claims, and higher insurance costs.
    • Fleet vehicles are costly to repair or replace. Preventing crashes reduces these expenses.
    • A strong safety culture improves morale and shows workers their safety matters.
  • To Guard Against Legal and Financial Liability
    • Employers can be held legally responsible if an employee is in a crash while driving for work.
    • Lawsuits, fines, and reputation damage can result from not having a safety program in place.
    • A documented program shows you are taking steps to manage risk and protect your workforce.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

1-2. Why is a company legally responsible for employees who drive for work?